Eye assembly for a doll&#39;s head



Jan. 2, 1951 e. WINTRISS EYE ASSEMBLY FOR A vows HEAD Filed Jan. 53,1949

2. Sheets-Sheet -1 '8 INVENTOR.

GEORGE WIN TRISS ATTO Q N EJYSI G. wlNTRlss EYE ASSEMBLY FOR A DOLLS HEAD Jan. 2, .1951

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3., 1949 FIG. IO.

INVENTOR. GEORGE WINTRISS ATTQRNE-YS 4 Patented Jan. 2, 1951 EYE ASSEMBLY FOR A DOLLS HEAD George Wintriss, Summit, N. J assignor to Ideal Novelty & Toy 00., Hollis, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 3, 1949, Serial No. 69,007

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved eye assembly for a dolls head and an improved method of making the same.

In the art of constructing dolls heads, it has been common to make eyes which would remain open when the doll was held erect and closed when the dolls head was titlted backwards. This has frequently been done by fixing the eyes to a cross-rod and suspending the same in the dolls head in such a manner that the rod was free to rotate about its axis, and suspending a weight from said cross-rod. The weight holds the eyes fixed in position when the dolls head is tilted backwards, thereby causing the eyes to close.

In the above art, it has always been a problem to provide a proper means for securing the eyes to the cross-rod. Dolls heads are usually made of plastic materials and cannot be manufactured absolutely uniform in size, shape and configuration. Therefore, there must be a convenient and economical method to adjust the eyes in each individual head.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel eye assembly for a dolls head, whereby individual adjustment of the eyes to fit the head may be easily made by movement of one or both of the eyes laterally along the axis of a cross-rod or rotatably with respect to said cross-rod.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an eye assembly for a dolls head, in which only one part is required to connect each eye to a shaft or cross-rod, whereby individual adjustment of the eyes to fit the head may be easily made by movement of one or both of the eyes laterally along the axis of said shaft or cross-rod or rotatably with respect to said shaft or cross-rod.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an eye assembly for a dolls head, which is economical and easy to construct, whereby adjustment of the eyes to fit each individual head may be read ly made.

Other objects and other advantages are stated in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a front perspective, enlarged and partially exploded view of the complete eye assembly. One sleeve is shown disassembled, and one eye is shown disassembled and partly cut away. Part of the clamping device is shown cut away;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, front perspective view showing the eye sleeve assembly without the eye attached;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sleeve blank, shown before it is bent into final shape;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the unassembled sleeve;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the unassembled sleeve;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the unassembled sleeve;

Fig. 7 is a sect'on of the unassembled sleeve taken along line 'l--? of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the sleeve assembly which is formed when the sleeve is located on the cross-rod, taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary View of one of the eyes shown in Fig. 11, the full-line position showing one extreme limit of lateral movement of the eye-shell on the sleeve, and the dotted-line posit'on showing the other extreme limit of lateral movement of the eye-shell on the sleeve. This figure illustrates the increase in Width of the slit portion lab of sleeve 3, when sleeve 3 is assembled with shaft 2;

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section of the dolls head assembly, showing the eye assembly attached inside the dolls head, the latter being fragmentarily shown;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line I I-l l of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line l2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Referrin to the drawings, the eye-shell or eyebody is generally designated by the reference numeral I and it is attached to cross-rod 2 by means of sleeve 3. Said eye-shell I may be ap; proximately in the shape of a hemispherical shell. It may have an upper eyelid portion ii of one color; a lower body portion 5 of a contrasting color; eyelashes 6; a pupil l; and an his 8. These elements make the eye-shell I appear lifelike, but these features may be omitted or replaced by other features. Eye-shell i is provided with diametrically opposed non-circular and preferably square holes or openings 9 on op posite sides of its shell body, as is particularly shown in Fig. 1, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Fig. 3 shows the blank which is used to make the sleeve 3. Said blank is originally flat, and it is provided with the ribs or indentations i3 and it, prior to bending the blank to form sleeve 3. Said blank has a longitudinal base iii, and transverse slits il -98 which abut base It, and may optionally extend into base it. The sleeve 3 is thus provided with side-walls it which are perpendicular to base 10. The slits I'l divide relation to rod 2.

said side-walls i! into median portions IIb and end-portions Ma.

The top-walls which are formed by bending the blank of Fig. 3, have median portions I22) and end-portions 52a. The median top-wall portions I2b are integral with the median side-wall portion Iib, and the end top-wall portions l2a are integral with the end side-wall portions Ila. End top-wall portions l2a, end side-wall portions I la and the portions of base is integral with end side-wall portions Ha, together comprise end portions 55 of sleeve 3. Median top-wall portion I21), median side-wall portions Nb and the portion of base if! integral with median side-wall portions I Ia, together comprise center portion I6 of sleeve 3.

When sleeve 3 is initially formed from the blank of Fig. 3, said initially formed sleeve has the initial shape shown in Figs. 1 and 5, in which the median slit-portion it?) is very narrow, and the end slit-portions hia are wider than said median slit-portion 82). The walls of median slit-portion 1% may abut or substantially abut each other in the initially formed sleeve 3.

Sleeve '3 is non-circular and optionally substantially square in cross-section, with rounded corners. The "e'nd -parts liiar-e just large enough section to fit freely over shaft or rod 2.

Each sidewall lib has centrally located longitudinal ribs or indentations i i extending almost the entire length of said sidewall 2 lb, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each such rib or indentation M is bent inwardly, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7. Bottom wall it is formed with two aligned and "spaced inwardly bent ribs or indentations I3, approximately equal in size and extending lengthwise. As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, indentation i3 are located entirely within the median .pai'tof base H] which forms the base of center part '6.

Indentations i 3 and I4 are deep enough so that the cross-section of sleeve 3, taken at a plans such as is shown in Fig. 7, where the sidewalls and base have said indentations, is smaller than the cross-section of cylindrical rod or shaft 2. As a result, when sleeve 3 is forced onto shaft or 'rod 2, the end sections 55 fit closely but loosely on shaft 2, but sidewalls Iii) and hence top wall portion I2?) are forced outwardly to increase the width of slit portion ltjb, as is particularly shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The indentations is and I4 are deep and large enough so that portions of sidewalls No new extend out substantially beyond sidewalls 'I la. Sleeve 3 is made of any suitable metal or material which yields enough so that side walls 5 lb and top wall portions 82b will move laterally outwardly to enlarge slit @877 when said sleeve forced onto rod 2. The metal or other material of sleeve 3 is sufiiciently rigid so that it resists this outward movement. Therefore, the center part it expands as indicated above, when sleeves is forced onto rod 2, but the said center part I6 continues to grip and frictionally engage rod 2 firmly, so that sleeve 3 will remain fixed in Once sleeve 3 is initially placed upon rod 2, sleeve 3 is thus locked to shaft 2 against axial movement, so that sleeve 3 does not shiftaxially relative to shaft 2 under ordinary conditions. However, sleeve 3 does not grip rod 2 so tightly as to prevent manual rotation of the sleeve 3 around the axis of the rod 2 in a manner -toloe descrilcled more fully hereinafter.

Each square hole 9 in eye 2 is sufficiently "large so as to permit the respective end section I5 of sleeve 3 to pass readily therethrough. However, when sleeve 3 is placed on rod 2, the center p01- tion It expands sufficiently and each hole 9 is sufiiciently small so that the center portion I6 will not pass through the hole 9. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 9. As is also particularly shown in Fig. 9, the thickness of the shell of eye I is less than the length of the end section I5 of sleeve 3. Furthermore, the external diameter of eye I is approximately equal to the length of sleeve 3.

In making the assembly, the end-portions of sleeve 3 are first located in the holes 9 of the eyeshell I, while sleeve 3 has its initial shape of Figs. 1 and 5, and shaft 2 is then forced through the sleeve 3 to reshape the central part of sleeve 3 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that eye-shell I now has only a limited axial movement of adjustment relative to its sleeve 3. That is, the transversely enlarged central portion of sleeve 3 limits the axial sliding movement of eye-shell l relative to its respective sleeve 3 Due to the interfitting square shape of holes 9 and the end:- portions I5 of sleeve 3, the eye-shell I "cannot rotate relative to sleeve 3. Also, while sleeve 3 can now be rotated and adjusted relative to shaft 2 by exerting "suflicient force, sleeve 3 is not loosely turnable relative toshaft 2, so that sleeve 3 will remain in its adjusted circumferential position relative to shaft 2. That is, the frictional grip of the enlarged median part I6 "of sleeve '3 on shaft 2 is sufiieient to prevent fr'ee turning "02E sleeve 3 relative to shaft 2, while permitting forced manual circumferential adjustment of these .parts.

Shaft 2, together with the two sleeves 3 and the two eyes I, assembled as described above, are a part of the complete 'eye assembly IS. The eye assembly '9 consists of the following parts: eyes i; sleeves c'ross bai' 2; weight a'rm 2'8; weight 2'! bridge or holder 30; and spring 22. Holder 353 "comprises base 29"; temple en-tary see walls 28 complementary clamps B l; nd teeth 2 6.

As will be shown more fully herei iter, holder 3% is intended to be assembled with the *d'o'lls head 32 so that holder 39 is approximately vert i cal when head 32 is vertical. ide walls 28 are spaced and 's'ubsta'ntially parallel to eadhfiither and perpendicular to base 29. 'S'id'e-walls it and base 25 together form a channel whose ppenend faces the front of the dolls head 32. A clain'p 33 is integral with each wall 2 8 and as initially formed projects outwardly. Each elax-hp slhas teeth 26 facing inwardly, the said teeth being substantially perpendicular to the clamp 3L wall 2'8 ha'sa projection mm at its lower end, said pr'oj ection 28a extending toward the front at the dolls head 32. Each profiection 2 8d has a through-and through slot or opening 21 The length of each slot 21 exceeds its width. itswidth is somewhat greater thanfth e dial-meter of crossbar 2. Lengthwis'e, slot 2? Has a horizontal axis when head 32 is vertical. Cros's'floar 2 passes neely through said slots 21. Vlfe'ight arrn 2'?! is attached at one end thereof, in-any eehveniem manner, to the center of -cross-ba'r 2, said attachment point always being located 'btween projections 28a. Weight Z'Ifit'hih may beoffany appropriate shape, is secured in anyconvehi'ent manner to the lower 'end'o'f weight-arm 2 3. Each part of cross-arm 2 which is located outside of projections 28a has attached to it a-sleeve 3 eye I, 'as heretofore described.

Base 2-9 has 'an upwardly 'c'-ved recess-3 9a formed in its lower end, into which aegis-arm 2i! can fit when the dolls head 32 is tilted asses:

"from a vertical position to a rearward horizontal position. This limits the roll of the eyes I, in

a manner to be more fully described hereinafter. The upper end of base 29 has formed therein an opening 23 which is rectangular in shape and has at its top an open neck 24 which extends through the top edge of the base 29. Opening 23 communicates with said neck opening 24. Blade spring 22 is a flat strip of metal, whose dimensions are slightly smaller than those of base 29, except near the upper end. At said upper end, the main body 2211 of spring .22 is reduced to form a tongue 22b, and said spring 22 has a head 220 of the same width as body 22a. Head 220 is located rearwardly of base 29; neck 22b passes through opening 23 and main body 22a is located at the front of said base 29. The bottom end of spring 22 is located between base 29 and crossvbar 2 and urges said cross-bar 2 away from said base 29 and therefore toward the front of the dolls head 32. Therefore shaft 2 may abut the front ends of slots 21 or be spaced rearwardly from the front ends of slots 21, depending on the adjustment in a respective head 32.

The arrangement of the eye assembly I 9 in the dolls head 32 is shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. The assembly comprises eye assembly is and dolls head 32. Dolls head 32 may be made out of any suitable plastic or other material known in the art. It is formed with conventional eye sockets 33 and a ridge or boss 31 centrally located above the eye socket 33. Behind mouth 35 is projection 34. This may be used for any purpose known in the art, as for example, to serve as a guide in a manner not shown to lead a tube to mouth 35. In addition, projection 34 serves as a stop to halt the motion of weight 2| for a purpose to be explained shortly.

Ridge or projection 31 is of such shape that holder 39 may be secured to projection 31 by bendingclamps 3| towards each other so that teeth carried by said clamps 3| sink into said ridge 31. When the dolls head 32 is held in an erect position, holder 33 is also positioned vertically. Weight 2| tends to. extend vertically downwards, but its motion toward that position is stopped when it strikes projection 34.

Each eye I may be manually rotated and adjusted with respect to rod 2, as described above, so that the iris 8 and eyeball I will be visible through socket 33 when dolls head 32 is held in an erect position and weight 2| abuts projection 3 In addition eyes I may be moved laterally with respect to holder 33 by moving cross-rod 2 and the assembled eyes as a unit, until thejunction of weight-arm 2|] and rod 2 strikes one of the projections 28a. Also each eye I is individual- 7 1y laterally movable relative to its sleeve 3 and hence along rod 2, as was explained above. It is therefore possible to center each eye I in its respective socket 33 prior to clamping holder to projection 31. Spring 22 helps to hold eyes I firmly in sockets 33.

When dolls head 32 is tilted back, as when the doll is placed in a position of repose, weight 2| depends downwardly. This holds eyes I fixed in position as head 32 tilts. As a result, eyes I close. The eyes I cannot close too far (for example, thereby pushing eyelashes B into unnatural positions), because weight-arm 29 strikes the edge of indentation 29a of base 29 of holder 39. From then on, weight 2| turns as head 32 is tilted, and any further movement of eyes I relative to head 32 is impossible. Clearly, the eyes I can be made to go through all positions from com-- pletely open to completely closed, by'proper tilt ing of head 32. Numerous changes and omissions and additions can be made in the disclosure herein, without departing from the scope of the invention;

Thus, the sleeves 3 and shaft 2 may be shaped in any manner, so as to automatically laterally enlarge the median parts of sleeves 3 when sleeves are assembled with shaft 2. 1

I claim:

1. In an eye-assembly, a shaft which has an axis, a sleeve mounted on said shaft and having a median portion and end-portions, an eye-shell which has axially opposed openings, said endportions being located in said eye-openings, said eye-openings and said end-portions being shaped to prevent said eye-shell from rotating relative to said end-portions, said shell being axially slidable relative to said end-portions, said median portion being shaped to limit the axial movement of said shell relative to said sleeve tokeep both said end-portions in their respective eyeopenings, said median portion being adjustably fixed to the respective part of said shaft to permit rotary adjustment between said median portion and said shaft.

2. In an eye-assembly, a shaft which has an axis, a sleeve mounted on said shaft, said sleeve being in one piece and being divided into a median portion and two-end portions by means of slits transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said end-portions being located in said eye-openings, said eye-openings and said endportions being shaped to prevent said eye-shell from rotating relative to said end-portions, said shell being axially slidable relative to said end portions, said median portion being shaped to limit the axial movement of said shell relative to said sleeve to keep both said end-portions in their respective eye-openings, said median portion being fixed to said shaft, said median portion being rotatably adjustable relative to said shaft.

3. A one-piece sleeve, said sleeve being divided into a center portion and two end-portions by means of slits transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said center portion having a longitudinal slit extending its entire length, said center portion having indentations projecting inwardly.

4. In an eye assembly for a dolls head as described, a cross-rod, an eye in the form of a. shell and a one-piece sleeve, said sleeve being mounted on said cross-rod and being divided into a center section and two end sections by means of two slits transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said center section having a longitudinal slit running its entire length and having indentations projecting inwardly, said eye-shell having holes formed therein adapted to receive said sleeve and being mounted on same, said center section of said sleeve being located between the holes of said eye-shell and being shorter than the distance between same, each of said end sections of said sleeve passing through one of said holes, said end sections preventing rotation of said eye relative to said sleeve, said sleeve being the means whereby said eye is held on said cross-rod, said center-section expanding when said cross-rod is pushed through said sleeve so that said center section is unable to pass through said eye-shell holes.

5. In an eye assembly for a dolls head as described, a cross-rod, an eye in the form of a hemispherical shell and a one-piece sleeve for assesses '7 holding "said eye :on said cross-rod, "said sleeve being mounted on said cross-rod and being divided into a center section and two *end sections by means of two slits transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve'said centersection having a 'longitudinai :siit running its entire length and having indentations projecting inwardly, said end sections being approximately square in crosssection, said eye-shell having two diametrically opposed square holes formed therein just large enough to permit ready passage of said end sectionsbut. small enough to prevent appreciable rotationof said :end sections in same, said :eyeshell being mounted on said sleeve by passing said sleeve through said holes in :said eye shell', said "center section of said sleeve being located between said holes and being shorter than the distance. between sa ine, eachgof saidend sect-ions i'passing'through at least part of one-of said holes,

, said center-section of said sleeve expanding when 3/ {said cross-rod is pushed through said sleeve so that said center {section is unable to pass through either of said holes in said eye-shell. i fiyIn'an eye assembly fora dolis head as described, a cross-rod, an-eye in the form of a hernispherical shell, a sleeve substantially, square in cross-sectionvrhich is mounted on said cross-rod, said sleeve having a slit runninglongitudinally and cent-rally along the entire length of the top "wall of said sleeve, said sleeve being divided into a center section -and two equally complementary end sections by means of :sl-its in the side wall ;bei-ng mounted on the 'sleeve bypassingsa-id sleeve through said )holes in said eye-shell, said oen-ter section of said sleeve being located inter- -medi-ate said holes and being shorter than the distance between same, each of said end sections of said sleeve passing through at least part of one of said holes, said center section of said sleeve having indentations stamped into its walls and projecting inwardly, said end Sections of :said sleeve passing over said crossword, 'sai'd centen section with said indentations being too small to pass over said omsserod freely, 'i'saidwalls of said center section spreadingoutwardly when said cross-rod is pushed through said sleeve, said center section thereby expanding sothat it will not pass through either of said holes in-said eyeshell.

7. An eye-assembly as :in claim 2, said center portion in said sleeve having a longitudinalwslit extending its entire length, said center portion having ribs projecting inwardly.

8. eye-assembly as in claim 12, said center portion of said sleeve having a longitudinal slit extending its entire length, :said center portion having'ribs' .zproject/ing inwardly, the. forcing of said shaft between said tribs causing the walls of said center portion to bend outwardly.

, 9. A dollfs eye-assembly nompris'ing :a shaft, a sl'eevewhieh is .inoisinted on said shaft and which has a center portion and end portions, an eye shell which is mounted =on :said sleeve and which .7 has respective *openings through which said :sleeve end portions respectively extend, said sleeve 'cen ter portionbeing expanded outwardly when said shaft is, dished through said sleeve and serving as stop means to limit "axial movement of said eyeshell relative to said sleeve whereby to prevent said eye-shell from siipping axially off 'saidrsleeve.

Number Name Date 1,786,572 Marcus .e;. ..l L V- Dec. 30, 1 931) "1,792,196 Marcus I e Feb. l0, 1931 1,7981% Mar. 31, 1931 "2155,5081 April 1 939 

